The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, says the judgement of the Court of Appeal affirming the nullification of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National convention held in Ibadan confirmed that the exercise violated the law.
Wike, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, said the ruling made it clear that the convention conducted by the PDP in November 2025 could not stand because the party failed to comply with statutory provisions.
According to him, the court’s decision reaffirmed the need for political parties to strictly adhere to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022, and their internal guidelines.
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“When you do not comply with what the law says, it can not stand. It does not matter who is chairman or who is not chairman. What matters is compliance with the law,” Wike said.
The Minister noted that the court had clearly established that necessary procedures, including valid congresses in several states and proper notice to INEC were not followed before the convention was held.
He explained that once such legal requirements are ignored, the issue goes beyond internal party affairs and becomes a matter of compliance with the law.
Wike urged members of the PDP to use the judgment as an opportunity to rebuild unity within the party rather than pursue prolonged legal battles.
“For me, it is an opportunity for the party to come back together. We have fought enough. It is time to drop personal interests and see how we can move the party forward,” he said.
The minister also emphasised the need for the PDP to remain strong as a viable opposition party in the country.
“The PDP remains the only strong opposition party we have. What we should be doing now is to put our house in order so that the party can continue to play its role effectively,” he said.
He further explained that with the court ruling affirming that the Ibadan convention was invalid, the party’s leadership structure from that exercise could not be recognised.